In addition to the Phoenix Ghosts, the United States is sending more than 700 Switchblade loitering munitions to Ukraine. The growing prominence of loitering munitions. Still, the Phoenix Ghost’s operational capabilities remain ambiguous. Of the dozens of loitering munitions on the market today, only a handful claim an endurance of more than two hours. If true, the Phoenix Ghost may be among the largest loitering munitions, one able to carry enough fuel and payload to target far-away armored vehicles. It is also reportedly capable of attacking medium-armored targets and flying for six hours or more. The Phoenix Ghost can take off vertically and operate at night, according to Politico. Though the Defense Department has not yet elaborated on the Phoenix Ghost’s dimensions or performance specifications, journalists have uncovered some information. (The 645 th is the successor to a program known as Big Safari, which contributed to the development of first military combat drones in the 1950s.) The 645 th Aeronautical Systems Group led the effort to create the Phoenix Ghost for Ukraine, according to Defense Department officials. The Phoenix Ghost is produced by the California-based Aevex Aerospace and was designed to help the Ukrainian military confront Russia in the Donbas region, according to Kirby. Initially conceived as an anti-radar weapon, loitering munitions are today meant to attack a variety of other battlefield targets such as enemy personnel, armored vehicles, ships, and even adversary drones. The category of loitering munitions includes a diverse group of aircraft, ranging from small gun- and hand-launched drones to those weighing as much as 200 kilograms (440 pounds). Their growing access and wide applicability present challenges to longstanding beliefs about precision weapons. Loitering munitions are increasingly integrated into a variety of air, ground, and sea vehicles and are among the technologies that military planners believe could transform ground combat. In recent years, the number of countries producing loitering munitions has more than doubled from fewer than 10 in 2017 to nearly two dozen today. Such weapons combine the maneuverability, usability, and flight time of a drone with the lethal effects of a missile. Kirby likened the drone to the AeroVironment Switchblade-a loitering munition. This previously unknown, one-time-use weapon is designed primarily to attack targets, though it is also capable of conducting non-lethal missions, according to John F.

On April 21, the US Defense Department announced an $800 million military assistance package to Ukraine that included over 121 Phoenix Ghost drones.

Phoenix houses drone